


Sea Air

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Community: romancingmcshep, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-11 01:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3310907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The <i>HMS Atlantis</i> sets sail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sea Air

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "romancingmcshep" prompt #82 _Infamous and dashing Captain John Sheppard of the HMS Atlantis and his particular friend, the eminent naturalist and astronomer Doctor McKay and their glorious adventures in the Age of Sail._

“Do be careful with that!” snapped McKay, standing on the dock as the crates were loaded into the frigate _Atlantis_. “That is very delicate scientific equipment and must be treated with the utmost care!”

The assorted sailors looked like they were ignoring him, but Lorne, the First Lieutenant, called, “You heard the doctor, lads! Handsomely now, handsomely. I don’t want to see a single scratch on those boxes. Look lively!”

“Maybe you’d better come aboard now, Rodney,” drawled a voice, and McKay jumped.

“Sheppard!” he yelped. “Do you _mean_ to give me an attack of apoplexy?”

“I rather thought I was saving you from one,” Sheppard replied, smiling.

McKay snorted, and for a long moment, the two men just stood looking at each other.

He might have been jealous of Sheppard, ridiculously handsome in his naval uniform, gold captain’s epaulets gleaming on his shoulders, pursued by every unattached lady he met (and quite a few of the married ones) if McKay hadn’t known just how uncomfortable Sheppard was in social situations and how eagerly he avoided them to spend seemingly all of his spare time with McKay.

But he had never seen Sheppard at sea, the dashing naval captain whose exploits were written about in every paper. On land, Sheppard always seemed tense and awkward, and McKay was eager to see him in his natural habitat.

“Come on, McKay,” said Sheppard, interrupting his thoughts. “All aboard.”

The members of Sheppard’s crew nodded or murmured greetings as their captain went by, but none of them stopped their work on the ropes and sails and whatnot— Rodney was a naturalist, not a sailor, he had no idea what was actually involved in sailing a ship— and Sheppard nodded back, crossing the deck with sure, even strides until they reached his cabin.

McKay’s sea trunk, newly-bought for this voyage, sat beside Sheppard’s own, well-used trunk against the wall. Sheppard’s desk took up most of the available space, and McKay knew it would serve double duty as his dining table.

There was only one bunk.

McKay whirled, still in the doorway. “Sheppard—!”

The captain put both hands on the doorframe, blocking him in. “There’s a hammock in my things, should we need to explain, but my crew will not question us, Rodney. We’ve come out whole on the other side of too many hopeless battles for them to worry about who shares their captain’s bed.”

“Oh,” said McKay. “Then—”

“Captain Sheppard, sir?” said Lieutenant Ford. “Mr. Lorne’s compliments, sir, and we’ve loaded all the cargo aboard. As Dr. McKay is our only passenger, we are ready to depart at the captain’s order.”

“Prepare to set sail, Mr. Ford,” said Sheppard, then smiled. “You won’t want to miss this, Rodney.”

McKay had watched _Atlantis_ set sail innumerable times before, but those were nothing like watching it from the ship’s own deck, hearing Sheppard give the orders and Major Lorne bark them for the whole crew to hear. Sheppard’s crew seemed as eager to return to the sea as their captain— they raced across the deck, raising sails and setting gallants and whatnot. But for all the shouting, the crew moved as one, never bumping each other or fouling their ropes. Soon, the ship had moved clear of the port, headed out to the open sea.

“Heading, sir?” asked Lieutenant Lorne.

“It’s Dr. McKay’s voyage,” Sheppard said, smirking. “After all, it is his catalogue of the Lantean Islands which prompted it. So, we should let him choose our course.”

McKay snorted. “As if I hadn’t sat with you in my study, Sheppard, plotting every league of this journey. You’re being paid to captain this ship— I can’t be expected to do your job, as well as my own.”

Sheppard laughed, his ridiculous, braying laugh, the one he stifled in polite company, and clapped McKay on the shoulder. “Never change, Rodney,” he said, then moved to begin calling orders again.

The ship’s steward brought McKay a mug of coffee and he leaned against the rail, watching the ocean. Even he could feel the calmness of it, clear blue water as far as the eye could see, beneath an endless sky.

“Not a bad view, is it?” said Sheppard, coming up beside him.

“I suppose I’ll get used to it,” McKay grumbled, without his usual irritation.

Sheppard took the mug from his hand and drank the last few swallows of coffee. “Mr. Parrish,” he said, when the steward appeared to take the empty mug. “Dr. McKay and I will dine in my cabin. Nothing formal— we’ll serve ourselves, and you can be free for your own supper.”

“Yes, sir,” said Parrish. “Thank you, sir.”

“But do find that bottle of claret I stashed somewhere,” said Sheppard. “We should celebrate Dr. McKay’s first sea voyage.”

“I’ll find it, sir,” Parrish said, and left.

“Nothing formal?” repeated McKay.

Sheppard smiled. “I can arrange a formal dinner for you, if that’s what you really want, Rodney. But I was planning on something a little more intimate.”

“Intimate is good,” said McKay, sliding his hand across the ship’s rail to bump against John’s. The captain turned his hand over, lacing their fingers together. “When’s dinner?”

Sheppard laughed and kissed him, right there in the open sea air. “Not soon enough.”

THE END


End file.
